Volumetric-Controlled Smart Valve

ABSTRACT

A volumetric metering smart valve shuts down automatically when a certain amount of liquid has passed through the valve. This valve has a water wheel which is rotated by the liquid and which drives a disc via a gear train. If the flowing amount exceeds a preset limit, the disc operates a ratchet and spring acting on a column in a closing direction to shut down the valve.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 371 of international application number PCT/EG2004/000039, filed on Oct, 4, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a regular valve for potable water and liquid to control and shutdown the flow of liquid in emergency cases.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

In computers, if there is no activity of the user, a computer system could shutdown due to lack of attendance. In an electrical system, overloads due to long running cause shutdown of the system. Water and other liquids need some control to shutdown the flow by sensing an emergency or an absence of control.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a volumetric metering smart valve which shuts down automatically when a certain amount of liquid has passed through the valve. This valve has a water wheel which is rotated by the liquid and which drives a disc via a gear train. If the flowing amount exceeds a preset limit, the disc operates a ratchet and spring acting on a column in a closing direction to shut down the valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed hereinbelow with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a regular globe valve of the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a smart valve kit with microplanetary gear type components.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a valve of FIG. 1 converted to be a smart valve using the smart valve kit of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing assembly of the smart valve kit in FIG. 2 with planetary gear type components with parts separated.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment sealing assembly of the smart valve kit in FIG. 2 using flow difference type components with parts separated.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment sealing assembly of the smart valve kit in FIG. 2 using electronic counting components with parts separated.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a smart valve having two seals sealing flow in the same direction.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a smart valve having two seals sealing flow in two directions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to international application number PCT/EG2004/000039, filed on Oct. 4, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The invention is to convert a regular globe valve 1 or a tap of the prior art, as shown in FIG. 1, to a smart valve which is to shutdown automatically in case of emergency through a double valving operation. Double valving means that the valve has its original closing mode set by either a mechanical device such as a hand wheel 6, or by an electrical timer, photocell, pneumatic control or level control, as well as additional valving that operates automatically in an emergency.

Double valving could be performed by a single seal smart valve assembly 8, as shown in FIGS. 2-3, to be attached to the neck of the valve 1 having the hand wheel 6 by a valve neck extension 7, which would be more practical and economical for installation, or by a double seal smart valve assembly such as the assemblies 9, 10 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively. The assembly 9 in FIG. 7 has an additional orifice 11 for a double seal, one side arrangement in an extension 13 of the orifice. The assembly 10 in FIG. 8 has an additional orifice 12 for a double seal, two side arrangement.

As described herein, an example embodiment of the present invention is described in detail only for the single seal type shown in FIGS. 2-3, while alternative embodiments of different types of seals are shown in FIGS. 7-8. As an example, the original closing of a regular mechanical globe valve 1 is performed by turning its hand wheel 6 in normal way, for example, in a clockwise direction. The automatic closing of the valve comes through telescopic expansion of the valve's column 5, shown in FIGS. 3-4, which is located in an expansion chamber 37, which forces the open valve to close. The expansion of the valve's column 5 comes under the pressure of a spring 39 which is kept compressed and held by a ratchet 40 at a critical position by a pin 38.

Release of the ratchet 40 occurs when the liquid flow duration is beyond the limit set by the inhabitant of the building in which the valve 1 is located. The liquid flow duration is not only a time set duration, but instead it is a combination of both time and flow rate of liquid passing through the valve. If the valve is left open fully, then automatic shutdown will come within a short time. If the valve is left open at low flow rate, it will take a longer time to shut down automatically.

As used herein, the term “streamer” is defined as a wheel. As the flow of the liquid passes through the orifice 3 of the valve 1, the liquid rotates a round streamer or water wheel 15, having a driver magnet 16 passing through a nut 17 of a rubber seal 18, in the center of the valve seal 4 which in turn goes through a double magnet 22, 29 to a reduction chamber (gear box) 21 enclosed by a cover 31 to reduce the number of rotations of the top gear and its attached limit disc 33, having a limiting magnet 32, to a portion of one turn, so that the number of rotations are reduced to a maximum of one turn of a disc on the top of the chamber. This disc could be adjusted to a suitable point to activate the ratchet 40 to release the column expansion mechanism.

If the valve is closed in its regular manner, the liquid flow stops, then the set of gears 24 in the reduction chamber 21 are free to turn about the axle 25 in the opposite direction under the effect of a spring 35 to restart again from its original position.

If the valve is kept open for long time then the pointer of the limit disc on the top of the reduction chamber releases the ratchet 40 on the valve's column to expand the main column extension 43 and to close the valve automatically.

After the automatic shutdown, if the hand wheel 6 of the valve is turned by hand to close the valve as per its normal use, such turning of the hand wheel 6 forces the valve column to contract to lock the expansion mechanism (expansion chamber at compression mode) at the same time it hooks the ratchet 40 at a critical position of a pin 38 of the ratchet holder.

The invention has four main parts:

1. The drive parts round streamer 15 or the whirlpooling round streamer. The streamers are rotated mechanically by the flow of liquid through the valve.

2. Speed reduction chamber or gear box 21, which has two functions:

a. Reducing the number of rotations generated by the round streamer, such as the streamer 15, to a portion of one turn.

b. Signaling the expansion chamber 37 by the pointer 34 of the limit disc 33 to expand its column by releasing the pin or hook 38 at the ratchet when the amount of liquid flow is bigger than a preset quantity.

3. Automatic reset system in normal use.

Flashing out the recorder rotation automatically when the flow stops and return to its start position by the spring 35.

4. Expansion chamber.

This mechanism 37 has telescopic expansion of the valve column 5, under the pressure of a spring 39 and hooked by the ratchet 40 at a critical position, which is also mechanical.

Alternative Designs of The Reduction Chamber with Signaling Shutdown

A. Mechanical Designs:

We have two options for a mechanical design.

A1. Reduction through two idle parallel columns 26 and 27, and a set of equal double gears 23 which rotates freely on both columns and separated by a spacer 28.

A2. Reduction through multistage micro planetary gears 24. This option is more expensive but it allows free movement backward of the limit disc 33 without the need to disengage the round streamer, such as the streamer 15.

B. Electronic designs:

This choice needs periodic maintenance to change an inside battery. It may be needed in very sensitive locations, such as in power plants, for example, in a cooling system of an atomic reactor.

The electronic design of the alternative embodiment of the present invention includes a regular electronic current counter 45, which takes its readings from the magnet 22 located on top of the streamer 15 which rotates due to flow of the liquid. The counter 45 flashes out the readings automatically when the flow stops.

Another limit counter may be used which is set by the user as a rule for controlling shutdown. If the reading of the current counter 45 exceeds the reading of the rule counter, then a comparison chip 48 would activate the expansion chamber 37 to expand the column 5 and shutdown the flow.

When the valve is turned back to operation, the valve will move the expansion chamber 37 and be ready for regular operation.

Alternative of Double Valving

In the previous description the present invention was described in terms of a single seal valve as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In this option the emergency seal closes the valve by spring pressure. If the liquid is under very high pressure then spring pressure should by very high too.

One alternative embodiment is to have a separate small area seal for emergency then there will be two seals in sequence.

Another alternative embodiment is to have the emergency seal in the opposite direction, to be in the direction of the pressure.

Whirlpooling Round Streamer Alternative

In a mechanical flashing out of the recorded rotation of the round streamer 15, the valve 1 requires a free backward movement without generating a flow of liquid in an opposite direction. In a planetary gear such free backward movement is possible, while in direct gearing such free backward movement requires disengagement of the round streamer 15. For this reason, in another alternative embodiment, the round streamer 15 of FIGS. 4-6 is replaced by a whirlpooling-type streamer or water wheel, where the flow of liquid generates two movements in both rotational and axial directions for engagement with the reduction chamber 21.

Such a flow stop disengagement using the whirlpooling streamer will be done through a spring 19 to allow the set of gears to rotate free backward to start position.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The smart valve of the present invention does not require any special components except for those devices causing the transfer of movement through at least one magnet to isolate the high pressure end from the low pressure and to isolate small gears from wetting to avoid accumulation of residue especially calcium.

In addition, a smart valve kit make it easy to convert any previously installed valves from a regular valve to a smart valve by extending the old valve neck and insert a new seal assembly.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a regular globe valve 1 of the prior art having a water inlet 2 and an orifice 3.

FIG. 2 shows a complete smart valve kit of the present invention having a micro planetary gear type assembly.

FIG. 3 shows how the globe valve 1 of the prior art in FIG. 1 has been converted to smart valve by adding the kit shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows the components of a smart valve seal.

Components 14-18 are elements forming the wheel which rotates the flow of liquid in the valve and its holding to the frame of a rubber seal.

Components 21, 22, 24, 25, 29, and 31 are elements forming three multistage planetary gears in a casing to reduce the number of rotations of the limit disc.

Components 32, 33, 34 and 35 are the limit disc and its spring to auto set back when the flow stops, and to release the ratchet if the flow exceeds a preset amount.

Component 36 is the holder or guide of the limit disc.

Component 37 is the column valve's extension and component 38 is its pin.

Component 39 is the spring to extend the valve's column.

Component 42 is an opening for movement of the pin 38.

Component 40 is the ratchet.

Component 41 is the axle of the ratchet and its holding spring.

Component 43 is the elongation of the valve column to contain the telescopic expansion.

Component 44 is a protection cylinder for the inner parts.

Component 5 is the end of the valve column of the original globe valve 1 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows the same assembly as in FIG. 4 with an alternative embodiment operating by a difference in the flowing.

In another alternative embodiment, the wheel 15 is replaced with a whirlpooling streamer to have additional axial movement. A washer spring 19 is included to disengage when the flow stops, with the gears 26-30 to replace the planetary gear.

FIG. 6 shows the same assembly as in FIGS. 4 and 5, with another alternative embodiment providing an electronic counting configuration replacing mechanical counting.

Component 45 shows the reading of a flow wheel, and component 46 is a battery.

Component 47 is a preset counter representing the maximum number of rotations of the counter 45 in the condition when there is an emergency.

Component 48 is a comparison chip to compare the reading of the current counter with the limit to initiate a signal from a signal generating device 49 to initiate shutdown.

FIG. 7 shows a smart valve with two seals from the same direction, with one for regular usage and one to work only in emergency.

FIG. 8 shows a smart valve with two seals in two directions. The emergency one works in the direction of the pressure. This is to be used with an extremely high pressure flow.

PARTS LIST

-   1 Globe valve -   2 Water inlet -   3 Orifice -   4 Regular seal -   5 Valve column -   6 Hand wheel -   7 Valve neck extension - nipple -   8 Complete smart valve set - single seal -   9 Complete smart valve set - double seal, one side -   10 Complete smart valve set - double seal, two sides -   11 Additional orifice - one side, double seal -   12 Additional orifice - two sides, double seal -   13 Extension of orifice -   14 Axle of water wheel -   15 Water wheel -   16 Driver magnet -   17 Nut of rubber seal -   18 Rubber seal -   19 Spring washer -   21 Reduction chamber -   22 Driven magnet -   23 Set of reduction gears -   24 Multistage planetary gear -   25 Axle of planetary gear -   26 Idle axle of gear - center -   27 Idle axle of gear -   28 Spacers -   29 Output drive magnet -   30 Frame of axle -   31 Cover of reduction chamber -   32 Limit magnet -   33 Limit disc -   34 Pointer of ratchet release -   35 Spring for limit disc return -   36 Disc guide -   37 Hexagonal column expansion chamber -   38 Pin of ratchet holder -   39 Spring -   40 Ratchet -   41 Axle of ratchet -   42 Opening for pin movement -   43 Main column extension -   44 Protection cylinder -   45 Current reading counter -   46 Battery -   47 Limit counter -   48 Comparison chip -   49 Electronic signal generating device to release the ratchet 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A smart valve having a first orifice through which liquid flows, the valve comprising: control means, including: a ratchet; a disc for rotating about a longitudinal axis to engage the ratchet; a column connected to the ratchet and longitudinal movable upon release by the ratchet; and a wheel, responsive to a volumetric amount of flow of liquid through the first orifice, for rotating about the longitudinal axis and for causing the disc to rotate; wherein the control means, responsive to rotation of the disc beyond a preset limit of the volumetric amount, releases the ratchet to cause the column to move the wheel longitudinally to close the orifice, thereby stopping the flow of liquid through the first orifice and automatically shutting down the smart valve.
 11. The smart valve of claim 10, wherein the control means includes: a planetary gear assembly for transferring the rotational motion of the wheel to rotational motion of the disc.
 12. The smart valve of claim 10, wherein the control means includes: an assembly of equal double gears rotating on respective idle parallel columns for transferring the rotational motion of the wheel to rotational motion of the disc.
 13. The smart valve of claim 10, wherein the control means includes: an electronic counter for counting the rotations of the wheel; a comparison chip, connected to the electronic counter, for determining if the wheel has rotated to a preset limit representing a maximum volumetric flow of liquid; and a signal generating device, connected to the comparison chip, for generating a signal when the wheel has rotated to a preset limit; wherein the disc, responsive to the signal caused by rotation of the wheel, rotates to activate the ratchet to shut down the valve.
 14. The smart valve of claim 10, wherein the control means includes: an expansion chamber; and a spring; wherein the column is movable longitudinally within the expansion chamber, and expands out of the expansion chamber to move the wheel longitudinally by the force of the spring upon release by the ratchet.
 15. The smart valve of claim 10, further comprising: a valve neck extension, housing the control means, for connecting the control means to the wheel and the orifice of an existing valve, thereby converting the existing valve to a combination hydraulic and volumetric valve.
 16. The smart valve of claim 10, wherein the control means, after a shutdown of the valve, resets to a fresh volumetric setting upon further flow of liquid through the orifice.
 17. The smart valve of claim 10, further comprising: a double seal in one direction, having a first seal which acts as volumetric valve seal of the first orifice when the smart valve is shut down automatically; and a second seal which acts as hydraulic valve seal of a second orifice.
 18. The smart valve of claim 10, further comprising: a double seal in two directions, having a first seal which acts as volumetric valve seal of the first orifice when the smart valve is shut down automatically; and a second seal which acts as hydraulic valve seal of a second orifice.
 19. The smart valve of claim 10, wherein the column is expandable from a first length to a longer second length; wherein, at the first length of the column prior to automatic shutdown, rotation of a hand wheel moves the column longitudinally to close the orifice to use the smart valve as a hydraulic valve; and wherein, during expansion of the column to the second length upon initiation of automatic shutdown, the column moves longitudinally to close the orifice to use the smart valve as a volumetric valve.
 20. The smart valve of claim 10, further comprising: a valve seal at an end of the column, wherein longitudinal movement of the column by manual movement by a user or by automatic movement by the control means moves the valve seal adjacent to the orifice to close the orifice.
 21. The smart valve of claim 10, further comprising: a hand wheel connected to the control means, wherein the control means is responsive to a turning of the hand wheel in a valve-closing direction after automatic shut down of the valve for moving the ratchet to a valve-open condition. 